Twist of Fate: The Choice
by Woodsballer
Summary: Every path has a choice: do we continue ahead or risk turning towards the unknown? Ash is about to make that choice. Twist of Fate 3 Pikashipping Oneshot.


**Twist of Fate:**

**The Choice**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokemon or any related characters or themes. This story is my own and may not be used elsewhere without my permission, but is not used for profit in any way.

**A/N: **I decided to write this after some deep insight following The Second Turn. I found out that I really don't like the way the story is sitting, so I'm righting it. Hopefully this will be what many of you have been hoping for.

----------

The day couldn't have gotten much better.

It had taken years of training and hard work, but it had all finally paid off. Ash was finally the world's greatest Pokemon trainer. The battles had been tough, but he, Teia, and the rest of his team had managed to pull it all together.

After the awards ceremony, the publicity, and the usual crowd-wading, Brock, his mother, and Professor Oak had managed to put together a little party at Steven's Pub, a restaurant/bar just outside of Veridian City. Again, it had taken almost half-an-hour before they convinced the crowd to leave them all alone.

Misty, May, Tracey… All of his old friends had managed to come and crowd around a wooden table covered with food. Wings, mini sandwiches, burger shooters, specialty drinks, and, especially for Teia, apple wedges made up only a part of the spread. Ash made the comment that this was too much when he first saw everything. His mother just smiled and said, "Don't worry. Your prize is paying for most of it." But Ash couldn't care less about how much money he had won or spent that day.

He was having too much fun enjoying the conversations with everyone. Precious memories from years gone by were met with laughs, and the laughs were met with more precious memories. The hours quickly passed as if they were minutes.

The talks moved from far-off memories to more recent ones as everyone shared what they were doing. It had been years since he'd last met Misty, and he was quite excited to hear that she had been made full-time Gym Leader of Cerulean. Drew and May were in a full-time relationship. And the strangest of all was that Brock had managed to woo Nurse Joy into marrying him.

And for the first time that night, Ash's thoughts took on a slightly more saddened tone. He looked across at the girls around him. It would be easy to claim that he had at one point felt feelings for each of them, most notably for Misty. And yet he couldn't claim that he'd ever had a girlfriend. For some reason, he'd never felt a close enough connection with any of them.

And now Brock was married and one of his close friends was in a serious relationship. It made Ash suddenly feel a bit jealous of them. He longed to have someone he could hold close and love.

Why hadn't he started a closer relationship with Misty, he wondered. There had always been a subtle bond between them. She had even confessed it and kissed him. He had relished that contact. And yet as much as he tried, he couldn't seem to see them together for the rest of his life.

Would there ever be someone that he'd be with? He wanted someone that would love him, care for him despite their differences. But he also wanted someone that he knew closely. And everyone he knew that fit that model was sitting at this table and he'd decided that he couldn't really see himself with any of them.

Something shifted in his lap. He looked down at Teia, who was curled up sleeping. Another thought came to his mind as he looked at his closest friend. It was another memory, this one just as pleasant, or even more than all the others. He was lying in a tree with her, lying in a chair sharing fruit and a beautiful sunset.

Warmth came to his heart as the details slowly filled his mind. There was no denying it. They had shared the best times of his life. These were feelings that he couldn't deny.

A strange concept presented itself to him. Yes, he loved Teia. They had confessed their love to each other. But he had continually denied acting on it. Could it be that his soul mate was really this Pikachu?

Brock suddenly slapped his shoulder, bringing his mind back to the table and his other friends. He would have to think about this later.

----------

Later ended up being that night. He lay on his bed, the pale light of a full moon across his stomach. Teia slept softly next to him, and his hand reflexively stroked her fur.

Could a human fall in love with a Pokemon? Of course. It had happened to him.

But could a human really _love_ a Pokemon? He knew that it was illegal to have sex with Pokemon, but this was different. Teia had as much of a soul as he did. There shouldn't be anything stopping him.

But there was the social issue. He'd always believed that the outside shouldn't matter, but there was no way he could marry Teia and not get several eyes. Teia had considered that too back when she'd first confessed. He still didn't fully understand how, but he had turned into a Pokemon, sort of getting around the rules by making their love between Pokemon.

Now there was an idea. But would it work? It would be hard to do.

He felt her tremble in her dreams and smiled. He really was an idiot. He should have seen this years ago.

He loved her. Screw what others thought.

Tomorrow…

----------

Ash awoke the next morning and left Teia sleeping peacefully on his bed. After yesterday's fight, she deserved as much sleep as she wanted. Besides, he thought she was too cute to wake up.

He slipped on a shirt and quietly hopped down the stairs, coming out in the small hallway between the kitchen and living room. Sunlight fell in through numerous windows, making everything golden.

His mother sat at the table at the edge of the kitchen. "Good morning, sweety," she greeting warmly.

"Good morning," he returned. He tried to make it as simple as possible, but he could hear his voice quaver in nervousness. There was no way he could go through with this without her.

As he pulled out a bowl and box of cereal, his mind began to turn, trying to figure out the best way to put this. There wasn't really an easy way to say that you wanted to marry your Pokemon.

"So what do you think you'll do today?" she asked.

"Probably just relax," he said as he poured the milk. "I think I earned it."

She smiled. "That you have."

He sat down across from her and put a spoonful of the cereal into his mouth. His heart started to pound in his ear. He should just get it out. But this was so hard!

"Mom…"

"Yeah?"

"…I have something I need to tell you."

She must have heard the tone in his voice, because she instantly went quiet, her face showing a look of concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" He forced a smile. "Just nervous, that's all." She remained silent, waiting for him. "I… think I'm ready to get married."

"Really?" Her face became a mixture of curious excitement. "Well, I can't say I'm not surprised. But who is it?"

"_That's the question, isn't it?"_ "Well, actually…" _"Please don't freak."_ "It's Teia."

"Who's Teia? Do I know her?"

Right. He'd forgotten. He was the only one that knew her actual name. "It's… Pikachu."

The seconds seemed to stretch on for hours in agonizing silence. After a few seconds, she finally answered. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Mom, we've known each other for years. There's no one else that I would rather be with. We care about each other. We _love _each other."

"But… She's a Pokemon."

That was the problem. But he was convicted now. "She has as much of a soul as anyone I've ever met. I'm sorry, Mom. But I'm doing this." The words were out before he could think.

Her face instantly betrayed her pain. She looked down at her hands, rubbing them together lightly. For a few seconds, he could only imagine how she would respond.

"It seems you've made up your mind." She paused. And then with a heavy sigh, "I'm happy that you've found someone that makes you happy." He almost couldn't believe it when she smiled at him. "Whatever you think is best, I'll support you."

He spun around the table, grabbing her into a hug. "Oh, thank you, Mom."

She laughed, tapping his back lightly. "Well, looks like I won't be getting any grandkids."

He picked up his bowl. "Don't be so sure about that."

"What?" But he was already past the door.

----------

As he walked back into his room, he set the half-empty bowl on top of his dresser. Teia stirred at the sudden sound. "Oh, you're already up."

He turned at her voice. "Sleep well?"

She nodded with a yawn.

"You should have. You certainly worked hard enough yesterday."

She giggled and put her head down. She wasn't all that tired, but she still enjoyed rest after a long, hard tournament.

Ash slipped into some real clothes and picked his bowl up again. "Hey, I've got some stuff I need to do today. Will you be ok on your own?"

That caused her to pick her head up. "You don't want me to come with you?"

"I think I'll be ok. You deserve some time to rest." He took a large mouthful of cereal. "I'll come back for you later."

He walked out the door. Teia quickly followed, but he was out the door before she could catch him.

"That's weird," she said to herself. "He never goes off on his own. Except for that one time…" That was the last time she had wished him into Pokemon form. He had vanished for hours to set up a romantic night for her.

He wasn't doing something like that now, was he?

She shook her head. No. That was highly unlikely.

----------

Professor Oak was working out in the fields feeding the few Pokemon that actually needed human work when Ash arrived at the lab. He greeted Ash with a big smile. "Well hello, Mr. Champion. How does it feel to finally be number one?"

"It feels great, Professor." He crouched down and pet a small Growlithe behind the ears.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come last night," Oak said. "But I'm sure you understand. All sorts of chores to attend to."

"Yeah, I understand." He gave the Growlithe another pat and stood. "Hey, can I talk to you inside?"

The smile on Oak's face lessened slightly. "Of course." The man picked up a few tools and they walked the hundred yards or so to the main lab.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Oak's face went perfectly straight. "What's wrong, Ash? I've never seen you with that face."

Ash couldn't help but cringed. "Is it that obvious?"

Oak nodded. "Yes. But I'm wondering just _what_ is so obvious."

Another knot came to Ash's throat. He swallowed hard to force it down. "Actually, I'm wondering if you'd do a wedding for me."

"A wedding? Are you getting married?"

He forced a smile. "Yeah. Basically."

The large smile returned. "Oh, Ash, that's fabulous. But may I ask who it is you're marrying?"

"Well, you know her. You actually introduced us."

"Really?" That confused him. "I don't remember introducing you to anyone."

"It was on the first day I became a trainer."

"But the only one I introduced you to was…" A light went off in his eyes. "You couldn't possibly mean…"

Ash just nodded with a smile.

Almost instantly, the man's face became one of concern. "You can't be serious!"

"Why is it so hard to believe? We've known each other for years. We love each other."

That seemed to silence him. "Well, there's nothing I can do about that. But you do realize what will happen? You two will be completely ostracized. And you will be arrested."

"I know," he said quickly, cutting him off. "That's why I need your help. Do you know Lily, the Pokemon magician?"

"A Pokemon magician?" Oak thought for a moment. "Actually, I believe I do. She runs a shop on the east side of Veridian Forest. But I don't see how she has anything to do with you marrying Pikachu."

"It does," Ash assured him. "Please, Professor. I don't expect you to understand or even completely agree with it. But I would greatly appreciate it if you could perform the wedding."

Oak looked him deep in the eye. "You would be willing to throw away your life, including your hard-earned title, for her?"

In less than a heartbeat, he answered, "Yes."

The older man sighed. "Fine, you will. But I refuse to officially marry a human and a Pokemon."

"You won't. By the time we say 'I do,' you'll be marrying two Pokemon."

This time, a fierce look glazed over his face. "No, Ash. You've got too much to let it go like this."

"But what have I got if I can't be with the single being I love?"

Again, Oak became silent. That had hit a spot within his own heart. _"Susan…"_ "Very well. I will perform your wedding."

"Really? You mean it?" Ash asked in a mixture of excitement and disbelief.

"Yes, I mean it."

The boy jumped forward, gripping the man in a bear hug. "Thank you so much, Professor."

"Gah. Enough, boy. That's enough." He managed to push Ash away and straightened his coat. And then Ash was quickly running out the door. "Wait! When is the wedding?"

Ash just looked over his shoulder as he slammed through the doors. "Tonight at sunset. Sunset Point." The doors fell shut behind him.

Tracy walked into the room just as he left. "Who was that, Professor?"

"It was Ash," he answered almost in a daze. "Tracy, could you do the chores for today? I have something I need to do." He walked off to his office, trusting Tracy to get everything done.

----------

With nothing else to do, Teia started to just walk. The fresh air allowed her to breathe deeply and allowed her muscles to relax. The bright sun warmed her fur nicely.

Her feet brought her to one of her favorite places: Sunset Point. Pallet Town sat on a peninsula overlooking the ocean by high cliffs. Sunset Point was called such because of the sheer beauty at that specific time of day. Sunset had always been her favorite time of day. Her mother had said that she'd been born just as the sun vanished; perhaps that was why.

The water crashed against the rocks fifty feet below. The air was thick with salty moisture, but she was fine with that. After being inland for so long, it felt good to feel the sea spray on her cheeks, which caused tiny sparks to jump through the air.

She wished Ash were here. What could he possibly be doing right now?

Her mind started to fantasize as it often did when she had nothing else to do. She pictured the sunset before her, casting its blood-red light across the water. Ash was holding her in his arms, clutching her to his chest. His lips were gently pressed against hers. The air blew through their fur, sending tingles through her skin as they seemed to melt together.

The sky above drew her gaze. If only there could be another shooting star.

She stayed at the top of the cliff until her fur started to get crusty with salt. Her legs wanted to run, she noticed, so she went down on her legs and started to run north along the cliff. Her eyes squinted as the water vapor attacked her eyes. With a quick twist, she turned inland. There was a small batch of woods next to the town. That would be a nice place for a jog.

----------

Ash put the phone back on the hook for the tenth time in the past hour. Seven calls, seven explanations, seven confessions. None of them had been compliant at first, least of all Brock. But they slowly turned when they realized how adamant he was about this.

His hand lingered on the piece of metal, almost hoping he didn't have to make this last call. It was the last person on his list for good reason. She was probably his first crush and as far as he knew, she still felt the same way about him.

A deep breath gave him some strength. She was a former crush and nothing more.

He lifted the receiver and pressed the numbers. It rang twice before she picked up. "Cerulean Gym. This is Misty."

Her voice gave him pause for a moment. "Hey, Misty. It's Ash."

"Oh. Hi, Ash. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you were free tonight. I know it's kind of short notice, but…"

"Let me check." A pause. "I'm good after six. Why? What's going on?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'm getting married tonight and I was hoping you'd be there."

It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn she gasped. But before he could even give her a chance to respond, he went into his explanation, almost verbatim from the other calls. She listened in silence until he finished. "It would mean a lot to us if you came."

He waited patiently. The only thing he could hear was her lightly breathing on the other end. "I… I don't know what to say."

"Could you say you'll come?"

Another pause. "Sure. It sounds like you two are really happy together. I'd love to come." It had sounded cheerful, or tried to at least.

Ash couldn't help but smile. "Good. It's going to be at sunset at Sunset Point. You don't need to wear anything too fancy."

"Ok."

There was a bit of an awkward silence until Ash cleared his throat. "Well, I have some other stuff I need to do before tonight, so…"

"Oh, of course."

"So I'll see you tonight."

"Yup."

"See you then."

"Bye."

The phone fell onto the receiver with a click. His breathing seemed to come a bit easier now. That one action of ending the call had a greater impact on him than he thought. He paused, thinking again that he was closing off so many paths that his life could take. This simple action had closed one more.

But his mind turned to all of the new avenues that were opening up. Where the one door had closed, another had been thrown open.

Despite it all, he smiled. This was the path he had chosen, and he wouldn't change it for the world.

----------

It wasn't for several hours until Teia strolled back up to the house. The jog had been surprisingly refreshing, especially considering her workout from yesterday. Her fur was slightly dame with sweat. The first thing she did when she got back would be a cool bath.

As she opened the door, the first thing she noticed was that Ash had been through here recently, at least within the past hour. His scent still lingered lightly. But he wasn't here now. Again she wondered at what could take up his entire day.

Delia walked into the small hallway from the kitchen, quickly spotting her. "Oh good. You're back. Ash wants you cleaned and nice. You should still have a few hours." She then continued on past.

Teia paused in surprised for only a moment before quickly following. "Wait… What?" She ran around Delia and stopped in her path. "What's he want me nice for?"

Delia shook her head with a smile. "I'm sorry, but I'm sworn to secrecy." With barely a shrug, the woman stepped around her and continued into her private bedroom.

Today had just gone from curious to seriously intriguing. Obviously he was planning something special. But now he had involved his mother? Was it really that big of a surprise?

Her little heart started to race as her mind began whirling, not focusing on a single possibility for too long. With a quick jump, she ran to the bathroom, starting the water for her bath.

And not once did her mind think of his actual plans.

----------

Almost two hours later, she came back down the stairs. Sunlight created long streams through the room as it came in almost sideways. She glanced at the window with a smile. Sunset. How fitting he would meet her at this time.

Delia was already in the living room. She was wearing a black dress and vest combo. As Teia came in, Delia stood. The little Pokemon noticed that the woman was nestling something in her hands.

With a single, gentle motion, she knelt to the floor and spread her fingers, revealing a small crystal brooch in the shape of a Butterfree. "This was given to me by my mother." Delia paused for a moment, running her fingers over the brooch's wings. "I think it would be fitting for you to have it."

Teia watched in surprised awe as Delia gently slid the brooch into the fur next to her left ear. It sat gently in place.

Once again, Teia's mind began a confused tumble. "It's beautiful. But what do you mean by 'fitting'?"

Delia shook her head gently. "I'm sorry. I don't speak Pokemon."

Teia hung her head. Not from shame, but from confusion. What was going on here?

"Come on," Delia said. "We should get going."

They walked out of the house and Delia led the way west. The path they walked was almost identical to the one Teia had walked earlier. There was only one place they could be going, she determined: Sunset Point. The sun was only inches from kissing the seas in the distance.

They crested a hill and came within view of the sight. A small group of people was gathered at the cliff side. Even from a hundred yards, Teia was able to see Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, and everyone else that they had journeyed with throughout the years. All of them were dressed in suits and dresses. She thought about asking what they were all doing, but knew that Delia wouldn't understand her anyway.

A body stepped out from the others, watching the two approach, and walked a short distance from the others. It was Ash.

Teia instantly broke away, leaving Delia, and ran to Ash. They met some twenty yards from the others. He got down on a knee as she came up. His eyes instantly went to the brooch in her fur. "You look really nice."

Under her fur, she blushed lightly. "Thanks." She looked over at the group. "What's going on, Ash? Why is everyone here and dressed up?"

Ash chuckled a bit. Propping himself with one arm, he swung himself to sit down beside her, facing the ocean. "Look out there, Teia."

She looked. Any minute now, the sun would begin the set below the waves. The light pierced across the water, turning it and the clouds a deep gray.

"Do you remember the last time we shared a sunset like this?" he asked.

She didn't answer as she was still waiting for the explanation, but half of her mind drifted back to the scene. It sent warm feelings through her.

"I remember you had asked me something. Do you remember it?"

A sharp pang tore through the scene in her mind. She remembered; she remembered too well. Her eyes turned towards the ground in saddened embarrassment. "Yes."

He could hear the pain there and it took all of his strength to keep from laughing. It was going exactly as he had thought it would. "I said I wasn't ready. I was saving myself for my wife."

Something about the way he said that made her mind pause.

But he continued, "I never really found someone that I felt strongly about dating. I didn't really know why it was, but I just never felt that I needed a girlfriend. Except now I think I know why."

As he spoke, she slowly turned towards him, understanding starting to fill her. The setting, the crowds, the clothes… It was all making sense now. But… He couldn't be serious could he?

He turned and looked deep into her eyes and she knew. "It was because I was already with someone. I just never realized it."

She wanted to speak, but no words came. Her heart was beating too much in excitement for her to do much of anything.

He twisted towards her. "Teia, will you marry me?"

All at once, her systems came back to her. Her throat let out a jubilant squeal. Her legs started to quake. Her eyes started to tear. "Oh, Ash. Of course I will." She leapt up, wrapping his neck in a hug. He caught her, holding her close.

A sigh came from the small crowd, drawing her gaze. In an instant, her mind crashed. "Wait…" She pushed herself away from him. "Ash, it wouldn't work," she said sadly. "I'm a Pokemon. You're a human."

But he just smiled. "For now." His hand pulled a small glass vial from one of his pockets. It held a thin, green liquid.

"What's that?"

"Altering Essence," he said, looking at it. "A one-time transformation potion courtesy of Lily the Pokemon magician."

Again, she understood what he meant and instantly shook his head. "No, Ash. You can't do that."

"Of course I can, Teia. I want this. You mean more to me than some silly title."

She saw the confidence in his eye and it made her want to cry.

His hand pulled off the cap with _pop_. "Well, see you on the other side." He raised it to his lips.

Teia lunged forward, grabbing the vial before he could tip it enough to drink, and tore the liquid away from him. About half of it spilt onto the ground as she fell back.

Ash froze in shock. "Teia…"

"No, Ash. I love you," she repeated. Her eyes drifted to the glass in her paw. "There isn't anything I'd love more than have you as a mate. But you have too much to lose." In one sudden motion, she gulped down the fluid.

"Teia!" He reached for her, but her body suddenly burst into green light, shocking him backwards. Even the crowd gasped loudly, taking several steps back.

Ash watched through his fingers, trying to see through the light. He could barely see her at the center, but her form wasn't solid. The object at its center morphed like jell.

The light slowly started to recede. With another, smaller flash, it vanished completely. At the center of where the light had been, the Pikachu was gone. Teia was kneeling, body hanging over her legs, but she was now a human. Slowly, she uncurled herself, standing straight.

Ash stood with her, gazing over her. She was barefoot, but wearing a calf-length yellow dress. Her skin was smooth and hairless with just the slightest hint of a tan. He couldn't help but admire her beautiful body for several seconds before looking at her face. Her hair was brown and came down to her shoulders, the Butterfree brooch sitting just above her ear. She had a short, flat nose, but high cheekbones accenting a smooth chin.

They locked eyes. Hers were a bright hazel that glowed brilliantly in the sunlight. His mind left him for only one thought: _"Oh my god!"_

She saw his look and giggled with a smile. "I must be beautiful," she said in perfect English. He was still in too much of a stupor to respond, so she stepped up to him. The two were at perfect eye level with each other.

"If I can't have you as a mate, I'll have you as a lover." With a slow motion, she leaned forward and touched her lips to his. After a second, he pressed back against her, taking her into a tight embrace. Time seemed to slow around them as they became entwined in each other. Their love became their focus, and the other their desire.

Several seconds later, she slid back, her arms hanging over his shoulders. "Ready to start our new life together?"

He smiled into her eyes. "Absolutely."

The small group stepped up next to them, with Oak out just ahead of them. Just as Ash had requested, he began. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony…"

Behind them, the sun sank into the sea.

----------

The next morning, the sun was just rising as the same crowd gathered by the road. The two lovers went to each in turn, hugging them. It was a happy/sad occasion.

Teia had given up her dress for a spare set of clothes from Misty: a loose pair of jean shorts and a tan top.

Ash and Teia had agreed that it would be best for them to go off on their own. Neither really knew where, but then neither of them cared. All they cared about was that they were together. And the prize money from the tournament could keep them going for almost a year.

The last one Teia went to hug was Delia. The mother hugged her daughter-in-law tightly. "You be good to him."

"Have I ever not been?" she replied.

"As I recall, you shocked him when you first met."

She looked at him and smiled. "Call it a love spark." There was a soft chuckle.

They set off down the path, waving goodbye as they went.

As soon as they were out of sight of the others, Ash reached into his vest pocket and pulled something out. Two glass vials clinked in his hand.

Teia turned at the sound and saw them. "Are those more potions from Lily?"

"Yep." He picked one up between his fingers and held it to the light. "Something special if we ever wanted to…" He gave her a mischievous side-glance. "Mix things up."

The undertones in his voice were unmistakable. She grabbed his vest and pulled him into the cover of the trees, taking one vial from him. "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

**A/N: And there it is! That's the ending I was looking for!**

**And I sincerely hope you all enjoyed it. As always, please let me know in the review.**

**And special thanks to the beta reader, Felix the Eeveetrainer.**


End file.
